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Tuesday, February 28, 2023

E3 2023 Revamps Website While Nintendo States Their Disinvolvement

By LUDWIG VON KOOPA - But Ubisoft is there. That's one!

After I reported that IGN reported that Sony, Microsoft, AND Nintendo all wouldn't be at E3 2023 (that's the Electronic Entertainment Expo occurring in the year 2023, otherwise known as what is supposed to be the most important event in the videogame industry of the year), IGN has doubled down to state that Nintendo went and confirmed to them that Nintendo will not show up because E3 2023 didn't fit into Nintendo's plans. See, after watching the Nintendo Direct from two weeks ago, I thought Nintendo would have lots of stuff to show off at the event, both from their own developers and from third party partners. I guess not.

Even if I wanted to say that IGN made up that statement, it's hard to deny it when E3 updated their website (FINALLY) and added a media section on their website with links to articles from other media outlets. These include self-defeating headlines like:

E3 2023 is still on!
That article features discussion on how Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo won't come to E3 2023 and how people are wondering if the show will even still happen. If E3's own website is willing to boost articles discussing how the most important companies in the gaming industry are NOT coming to the event, then that information must be assumed true and they're really killing the appeal of their own event. But ReedPop and the ESA ARE happy to announce that Ubisoft, days after not knowing if E3 2023 is even still happening, will be coming to E3 2023. So... that's one company! So now they're showcasing the schedule on the new e3expo.com home page... what's there?

E3 2023 schedule at a glance digital physical week business gamer days
That's... an underwhelming schedule in terms of detail.
But they're just now mentioning a Digital Week...?


There are definitely downsides to E3 2023 being a shell of itself, even if the popular narrative is that E3 is good for nothing and a relic of the past. Specifically regarding Nintendo, maybe Nintendo won't even do a Nintendo Direct in June 2023. With no presence at the event, they won't feel obligated to continue their value-added and useful Nintendo Treehouse Live at E3 streams. It can be exhausting to watch all of those, but they do contain very useful information on upcoming games, especially when their developers are also present.

Personally, I struggle to comprehend how Nintendo mentioned in their statement to IGN that they “have been and continue to be a strong supporter of the ESA and E3.” Of course, Nintendo of America supports the ESA. They're a big funder of the ESA. But how can you say you're a supporter of E3 when you won't have a presence there? The Nintendo area at physical E3 events was always the most impressive and important, and a big driver of foot traffic. (Plus, lots of representatives from other companies want to conduct meetings with Nintendo!) What's there to see now at E3? Ubisoft? Yikes.

At least you won't have to wear masks at E3 2023, unlike some other ReedPop events like PAX. And that's the actual policy, not just because the lack of attendees there will make social distancing pretty easy.



Ludwig wants to continue to support E3 as well and have KoopaTV lend its attention, but E3 is making it very difficult to do that. Ludwig still refuses to get a media pass and show up in-person, even though they'd probably give KoopaTV a pass at this point, mostly because he's afraid of something bad happening to him. It's in California, after all. Los Angeles, to be specific. Bad place to be!


A month later and Ubisoft decided they don't want to be the only one at E3 2023, so they quit and are doing their own event at the same time in the same city.
Nintendo did have a Nintendo Direct in June 2023, and it was fairly packed.

2 comments :

  1. Showing the physical amount of time that the gamer days make up probably isn't the best decision, especially when it's the shortest thing in that picture. But if there aren't many games to play there, i guess it doesn't matter anyway. There must be an official indie games convention, would be interesting to see E3 go that route in the future. Featuring the best up and coming game developers. It may be their only option should things continue as they are now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Though ReedPop states that they are trying to make a balance between business-to-business and gamer interests, yeah, the business side has the advantage here. And I think that's fine.

      Becoming an indie games convention would be... such a step down for E3.

      Delete

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